San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-14
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HALF A TR ] TIL .
BY 1.-THE DUCHESS. "

following evening. Yes, he was asked
now and then; he was not to see Valerie
| often: she was to be alienated from him:
taught the creed that money and rank are
| all in all She was changed already; she
was not as she used to be down at Wei.
ford: her letters failed to satisfy him, and
| she did not always answer promptly.
| No wonder Louis felt chafed and heart
sore: no wonder especially rs he was only
| Just twenty three he talked and thought
| a good deal of nonsense about love in q
cottage (even the cottage, by the way,
would have been problematicaD, fighting
| the battle OF life more bravely with the
loved one by your side, and the rest of it,.
| The triflIng facts that, without the loved
| one, he could scarcely do more than keep
afloat. and that heads of departments take
no account of loved ones in regulating in
| crease of employees sularies-were, natur-
| ally, overlooked.
But at the appointed time Louis drove
| up in hanson TO Mrs. Langley's house,
| and was urhrrcd into the drawing-roOm
| and minute later the door opened, anc
| Valerie, in her moss-green velvet gown
came IN, and ran up TO the young man.
| my own Valerien' he said, taking her
| IL MS anu hlSSluk HcI Illhul lllltS
lit is hard to see you SO seldom"
Valerie drew herself gently from him.
I'VE cannot help it, Louis, can WEI" she
| said, forcing herself to speak brightly;
land we must make up our minds to still
| longer separation"
"Valerie what do you mean?" He
| caught her hand almost roughly in his pain
and fear.
The girl turned white. Did he love her
so much' and she-Heaven help her!-she
felt like hypocrite.
Only" she said, hurriedly, that in
January we are going abroad until the
spring.
mo, no, Valerie, you will not CONSENT"
ooh, Louis, be carefu!r' exclaimed the
girl, with quick glance toward the door;
ANY moment aunt Constance may come
in. How could help consenting, even if /
did not wish to go9" Valerie's truthfulness
was not yet corrupted.
"You do wish to CO. them" said the
young man, excitedly-"to leave me-for
monthsr'
81 have told you do, the girl answered,
shrinking back, but speaking firmly.
"Why should you be angry with me for
that1 have always longed to gOabrOad,"
she added, turning away toward the fire,
so that her face was hidden from him.
Louis stood still a moment before he
followed her and took her hand again.
She let him take it, but did not cling to his.
81 have no right, perhaps" he said, in a
changed tone, Ito blame you, or-or to
doubt you, because you are willing to leave
me; but l cannot help thinking that your
aunt wants to part us When was this
decision made9'
"A few days before the dance, Louis"
And does she attempt to forbid our
writing to each Other:'
"No, no! You don't think would sub
init to that" exclaimed the girl.
Before Louis could reply, the door open
ed, and Mrs. Langley came in, to Valerie's
relief, though scarcely to her lovers.
Mrs. Langley greeted the young man
cordially She was too thoroughly we'll
bred woman to ask man to her house
and then snub him.
The three dined together: there were no
guests besides Louis Charters; and during
the progress of the meal Mrs. Langley
mentioned that she and her niece purposed
making their first halt at Paris, where they
would remain about a fortnight, and then
go on to Italy.
''By the way" she added, to Valerie,
"the Aston Lawfords are in Paris. Unjust
remember to call upon them"
Aston LawfOrds?" repeated Valerie.
care those the people Lord Emily was talk
ing about? He said they were iron"
Aston LawfOrd is an irOnmaster," said
Mrs. Langley, quietly; but he is also q
man of good birth, and has large estate
in NOttinghamshire."
THAT he bought HIMSELF" asked Valerie,
with the instructive contempt of land in.
heritance for land-purchase.
"NOne the worse man for that, surely"
observed Louis, who inclined, out of the
sheer pugnacity of youth, to what he term
ed liberal views. "a man who earns
land may be a better man than he who
simply inherits it,"
You got those lines out of some melo-
drama, Louis" returned Valerie, cavalier
ly. 81 can't discover what they mean; I'M
than gentleman"
81 don't quite agree with either of you,"
interposed Mrs Langley, but you surely
don't call an irOnmaster q tradesman, Va.
leriey'
81 wasn't speaking of Aston Lawford,
aunt Constance. | meant that Louis idea
that man who makes money is a better
man than one who inherits it-wOuld, in
fact, put even trade before land, wouldn't
it,"
81 didn't mean it So" said Louis, vexed
at being taken up in this style by Valerie
"but you have such invincible prejudices
about land, Valerier'
These will become modified with time
and experience, said Mrs. Langley, indul-
gently: meanwhile, | may tell you that
the LawfOrds are received everywhere be-
cause, really, their connection with iron
is accidental The Lawfords are good
family, and Aston LawfOrds mother was
Vernon, of -. Even the Beauregard's
pardon the iron"
care they so very proudr asked Louis.
Intensely proud. | dare say Captain
Beauregard looks askance at the iron,"
added Mrs. Langley, laughing; "but then
military men are especially stiff on such
points"
81 think he is quite rightr said Valerie,
stoutly.
and yet l dare say he would marry an
ironman's daughter If she had plenty of
money" remarked Louis.
Valerie did not for minute think he
would, but she said no more. She had an
instructive fear of being too warm in Man
Beauregard's defense
A little before the time for Louis to take
his departure Mrs. Langley contrived to
leave the two young people together, for
this was the last Louis would see of Va
lerie for several months.
For few moments neither spoke; then